


just gimme a minute

by Its_Me_Vanta



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Concerts, DarkSparks, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, hates the mosh pit, is very flirty with wraith, mentioned lynn gunn from pvris, not self projecting at all, pathfinder and gibraltar are mentioned characters too, wattson is a top, wraith has clastrophobia, wraith is a disaster lesbian, wraith loves pvris
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:54:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23859403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Its_Me_Vanta/pseuds/Its_Me_Vanta
Summary: mirage, lifeline, bangalore go with wraith to her first ever concert, she meets wattson and has a love at first sight kinda momentfluff bc im starved of darksparks content
Relationships: Wattson | Natalie Paquette/Wraith | Renee Blasey
Comments: 6
Kudos: 99





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hey yall! i haven't written anything for a long time but i had this idea pop up :') thanks to my friend tinnitus for proof reading and helping me improve some stuff! i recommend listening to the song i named this fic after while reading it! its "gimme a minute" by pvris! lynn gunn's vocals are slept on and i'd love it if you'd give this masterpiece a listen! :3c anyway enjoy this cute disaster lesbian wraith piece
> 
> edit: split some things up into smaller paragraphs and made some needed changes :') hope its still enjoyable to read

_"Wake up."_

_"You'll be late."_

_"It's noon. You don't have long."_

Renee rolled onto her back, bringing the entire duvet with her and let out a deep sigh. She propped herself up onto her elbows, tensing as she sat up and stretched her arms. As she relaxed again and let out a soft sigh of satisfaction, she peered over at the clock on her bedside table. Next to it she had put some tickets, so she'd remember that today was the day she was going to see a band she very much enjoyed listening to. She listened to their music often; it helped drown out the voices when they overwhelmed her, especially at night. The skirmisher let a small grin crawl across her lips. It wasn't often she could do something like this. She usually didn’t enjoy doing things alone. This though. This was different. Elliot, Ajay and Makoa had all chipped in to get Renee these tickets, they all supported her in getting to experience a live concert. She reached over and took the paper into her hands, bringing them into her lap and reading over the timestamps. Doors opened at 7pm. It was currently 3:45. Even when she had plans, she always managed to sleep in. She dropped the tickets back down and pulled the sheets off her lower body, pushing herself to the edge of the mattress and standing up. She ran her hand through her raven hair, letting out a small yawn that she covered with her fingers and headed into the kitchen downstairs.

Every morning began the same; get up, coffee, shower. Even then, most days she didn't even have the motivation to shower. It made her more glad that she lived alone. She didn't have to worry about people not understanding her mentality and the changes in her behaviour. She began brewing her favourite black coffee; the house was radio silent apart from the low volume music that was playing from her stereo on the counter. It turned on every day right as she got up, though she never woke up at a consistent time. After the music had ended, the advertisements started running, stopping Renee's daydreaming and halting her train of thought. As she finished making her coffee, she brought the mug to her lips and breathed in the hot steam. The aroma of the coffee always lifted her mood in the morning. After a few sips, Renee set down the mug and turned away from the counter, heading upstairs to shower swiftly before returning downstairs with her hair up in a wet bun, grasping the warm mug back into her hands and taking another sip, sighing softly through her nose.

After breakfast, Renee stepped outside the house for the remainder of the day before she had to line up for the event. She closed the front door behind her, turning only to lock it, then shortly after hearing a car pull over near the pavement.

"Yo, Renee!" Elliot's voice boomed from the front seat, rolling the window all the way down to see his friend better. "You coming? Me and Ajay were gonna go meet with Anita and Marvin before hitting the pit!" Renee hoped he didn't mean an actual pit. Like a ditch on the side of the road. She rubbed her other arm; a nervous gesture she normally did if she was unsure about something. "Uh...sure, not like I have anything to do in the meantime anyway." She shrugged, hesitantly making her way down the steps and into the passenger seat of Elliot's ride. "Who let you have a car?" She smirked, peering at the man in the driver seat. "Does your mom approve?" Ajay let out a short giggle from the back seat, but it only earned a sigh from Elliot. "It's not mine, okay, I _rented_ it," He said, his eyes awkwardly looking away from his friends and back onto the road. "My bar is hardly doing well enough to be able to afford a car of my own." With that, Renee’s smug grin fell and she began strapping herself in as they pulled away from the pavement. During the journey, it was mostly awkward silence between Renee and Elliot. Tension, almost. They had nothing to be tense about; but Renee wasn't the best at small talk. She left that to Ajay and Marvin most of the time, they were much more outgoing than she was.

"Y'know what we need?" Ajay beamed, leaning forward from the backseat to reach the car radio between Elliot and Renee. "Some tunes! It's too quiet in here." As she spoke, Ajay inserted a disc into the stereo and turned the volume up slightly. The skirmisher prayed that it wasn't anything she didn't like; she wasn't a fan of "happy music" as much as her medic friend was. The entire album was scenic classical music, from start to finish, and Renee actually seemed to take a liking to it. It took her mind off of all the worries she currently had.

Elliot pulled up at the venue, putting on the brakes and unbuckling his seatbelt. "Alright ladies, we're here," He said, the excitement dripping off his tongue. He clapped his hands together eagerly before climbing out the driver's side, Ajay and Renee following suit, pushing the doors shut behind them. Anita was already waiting in line at the back, with Marvin next to her. Ajay didn't waste any time running to her girlfriend and into her arms, sharing a short kiss before settling at holding hands, out of respect for the strangers around them. Seeing them happy always forced a dumb smile onto Renee's face; as envious as she was of them sometimes, they were cute together. She joined them in the static queue, it was unmoving for a few hours at most until 7pm hit; doors were open. "Finally!" Elliot belted, throwing his arms up in the air, gaining laughter from both Anita and Ajay. Renee just rolled her eyes and grinned, following them inside.

Inside was dimly lit; coloured lights stared at the main stage and highlighted the various people who were let in before general admission. It was a nightclub; a large room split into two parts. The pit with the main stage, and the bar at the back. The air was full of the smell of alcohol. The skirmisher drew her attention to the small crowd of people who already dominated the mosh pit before her. They all wore VIP lanyards around their necks, some even had the badges signed. The venue was small, as Renee expected, but it still felt large to her. The anxiety started to gather in the cavities of her stomach as she began to watch more people pile inside.

‘ _Nope...don't like that.’_ She thought to herself, rubbing her arm. She continued to watch with her unmoving glance; she had always hated crowded areas, especially with nowhere to run. The lights around the stage began to brighten and shifted colours; the stage filled with mist.

"Renee! Renee, look! They're starting!" Elliot beamed, pulling on her arm to where he stood so she could see better. He held her in front of him with both hands on her arms, his gaze glued to the stage and soon, Renee did the same. She wasn't expecting much, but then, she saw them. Her heart stopped for a moment. They were really there in front of her, on stage. She still couldn't believe it. "Holy shit!" She exclaimed, her lips curving into a grin. She glanced up at Elliot and then over at Ajay and Anita. The couple gave her a thumbs up and a big smile, they were already enjoying themselves. The skirmisher pulled herself out of Elliot's grip and stood at the bars on her own, admiring the band as they performed. She almost instantly became lost in her own little world, but was pulled out of it when Ajay and Elliot grabbed her by the sleeves and dragged her into the pit with them, pushing and shoving their way to the barricade. Renee could feel the bass of the music; literally _feel_ it. It boomed in her chest, she felt every word being sung. She had never dreamed that she'd ever experience such a feeling before. Her bliss was short lived however, as soon as the performers began to encourage the pit goers to jump and dance. Suddenly, the crowd rushed closer together and started jumping. Trampling on the shorter people around them. Renee quickly covered her head with her hands to protect herself; it was impossible to breathe in these tight spaces.

" _Get out," "You're in danger," "Don't stay here."_ The voices yelled and overlapped over the heavy bass and guitar, forcing Renee to phase and weave her way past the chaos and to the bar where there was an opening in the crowd; and room to breathe. Reaching the gap, she exited the void, her palms slamming onto the bar counter, breathing heavily and laying her head on her forearms. "What the fuck...that was insane," She said to herself, turning back to check on her friends in the front row. They hadn't even noticed she'd left, they were too in the moment, and she couldn't blame them. Leaning with her back against the countertop; she pulled the hair band out of her bun and put it back up to tidy it. She sighed; what was she meant to do with herself now?

“ _You’re being watched._ ” One of the bartenders approached her; and given the opportunity that she wasn't exactly with her friends anymore, Renee ordered a drink. Not like she drove here herself. She took a seat as the woman walked away, Renee's gaze wandering for a while as she waited. The skirmisher pressed her palms against the glass countertop in a less frantic manner; the bass wasn't as loud from the bar as it was from the front row, but she still enjoyed the sensation regardless. The bartender returned with her drink, the skirmisher paid for it and thanked her, watching her smile and make her way back to the kegs lined up in the back.

Renee paused with the drink against her bottom lip. About five or six chairs down from her sat a woman with pink hair; small pink horns, dressed in a black, puffy jacket with pink trims over a black turtleneck. She couldn't tell from this far away if she had the hood up or down, but either way Renee found herself lightly blushing. It wasn't noticeable in the blue lights, but she felt the heat leaving her body. 

_"Go talk to her,"_ The voices purred, picking up on Renee’s new feelings.

The skirmisher refused. “Shut up.” She growled, returning to her drink; grateful for having a reason to look away and process these new feelings. After finishing the glass, she set it down on the counter in front of her and weighed her options. She peered back at the same girl; her heart stopping when they met eyes for a brief moment. Beautiful blue oceans filled the stranger's eyes, Renee could feel herself getting lost in them; she wouldn't mind drowning in those watery coloured hues. The girl smiled big at the skirmisher, causing her blush to grow and more heat began to leave her cheeks. She assumed this girl was also alone; she had nobody sitting around her and had only one glass with her. Renee couldn't tell from this distance, but the girl had a soft smirk on her face; almost as if she could see the skirmisher blushing. She stood from her chair and slowly made her way into the pit, Renee's eyes glued to her slightly swaying hips as she disappeared into the crowd, gesturing with her finger to follow her before vanishing completely. "Shit," Renee murmured. "I really don't want to go back in there."

 _"Go after her,"_ The voices called, all collectively agreeing. _"Bite the bullet. Is that the saying?"_

The song changed as the skirmisher left her chair and stood. A slightly odd electronic synth began playing, and so followed Lynn Gunn's vocals:

_Wide awake, just cut the head off of a snake,_

_Wanted venom, got a taste,_

_You'll never know how much it takes,_

_All the pain to fade away,_

Renee’s nerves began to get worse as she made her way down the steps.

_Where'd it go?_

Renee spotted the same pink haired girl in the crowd, giving her the same playful smirk with her gaze glued to her.

_Someone just ripped out my throat,_

Reaching the girl, she gently took Renee's hand in her own, her sultry stare melting into a gentle smile as she admired their hands.

_Told me to sing while I was choked,_

She brought their hands up and intertwined their fingers, meeting Renee's milky hues again.

_Wish I could tell you but I won't,_

_You should know but you don't,_

The girl stepped closer, bringing her hood down. Her smile melted any fear Renee had. She didn't even know this girl and she was already head over heels for her. All she could do is blush deeper, watching her shift closer.

_A year of lows spent so high,_

_Feeling like I'm out of time,_

_Inner peace is hard to find,_

The girl stopped inches away from Renee's lips, her gentle fingertips brushing at some loose strands of her raven hair and pushing them behind her ears.

_They're asking why,_

The girl smiled devilishly, dropping her hand from Renee's cheek and taking her other hand. It was almost like she knew what she was doing; like she had everything mapped out in her head.

_I think I'm losing my mind,_

The stranger pulled on Renee's arms, leading her further into the crowd. With everyone around them, she met the skirmisher’s eyes; her gaze was confident. She joined in with the crowd’s singing, watching Renee in front of her, hoping she’d join her.

_Just gimme a minute, gimme a minute,_

_Thought I got through it, maybe I didn't,_

_Thought it was over, maybe it isn't,_

_Just gimme a minute, gimme a minute,_

Renee was cradled by the girl again. "Oh, chérie, I saw you eyeing me back at the bar," She purred; her eyes wandering from the skirmisher's eyes to her slightly parted lips, a giggle escaping her. "What is your name?" The blush on Renee's cheeks only darkened. The girl had a thick french accent, something she didn't know she found attractive until now. "U-Uh..." She stuttered, her own eyes peering at the girl's crimson lips for a moment. "Renee. Renee Blasey." Her response earned her another soft giggle from her companion. "That is a pretty name!" She smiled, meeting Renee's eyes again. "You can call me Natalie," Her tongue wandered as her gaze dropped once more. " _Pardonne-moi si je suis trop en avant, mais tu es une déesse parmi les hommes..._ " Natalie breathed almost lustfully, her fingers sitting on the skirmisher's chin as she angled her head up to her slightly. Renee had found herself totally lost in this new energy; she had never imagined finding such a beautiful woman at her first concert, and whether she wanted to admit it or not, she was enjoying the feeling of crushing on this girl. Hearing Natalie speak a foreign language made her heart flutter, though she had no clue of what she was saying; she hoped it was positive at least.

_Break a heart,_

_The whole body falls apart,_

Natalie made sure to be slow. Renee took note of this; her eyes finding themselves watching her edge closer, taking in a deep breath as if to brace herself.

_You will never know how far,_

_I came broken from the start,_

_You should know but you don't,_

Natalie's other hand found itself sitting on Renee's cheek, her thumb caressing her pale skin. Their lips were close; Renee could feel shivers down her spine as she felt Natalie’s warm and paced breathing.

_A year of lows spent so high,_

Their lips finally found one another, Renee's hands finding their way to Natalie's lower back, holding her as they kissed. 

_Feeling like I could die,_

_Inner peace is hard to buy,_

_They're asking why,_

_I think I'm losing my mind,_

Natalie broke the kiss slowly, smiling sheepishly at Renee; she watched as the skirmisher turned in her arms, hesitant to watch Lynn play her guitar solo. Renee had seemingly forgotten that it wasn’t just her and Natalie in the room; the heat from her cheeks making its way to her ears. She looked down at her feet and smiled shyly. Her mind, and even the voices, were still reeling from the kiss. It was an alien feeling to her.

This stranger she had met single handedly held her anxiety at bay the whole night, just by being there with her. No words needed to be spoken. Just being in her arms and in her company helped. She wouldn’t have ever imagined she, of all people, would enjoy the loudness of a concert; let alone find a girl here. Renee was noticeably delighted when she realised Natalie hadn’t let go of her hands; she made for better company than Elliot did. The skirmisher dreaded deep down having to spend the whole event glued to his side with Ajay and Anita teasing her about being introverted in such an extroverted environment; but with Natalie, she felt safe. Like she could be herself. Whoever that was.

“ _She’s writing something on you._ ” Hearing this dragged Renee out of her daydream and made her look at her palm; as the voices predicted, the pink haired girl was scribbling what looked like a phone number into her skin. Though she was more impressed by Natalie being able to see through the gloom of the pit. Underneath the scribbled digits, the pink haired girl had written ‘Call me, chérie!’ followed by a small heart. This gained a small smile of triumph from Natalie as she slipped the pen back into her jacket pocket, stepping forward and pressing a soft kiss into Renee’s cheek. From Renee’s back pocket, her phone vibrated.

“Y _our friends lost you in the crowd,_ ” The voices reminded her. “ _They’re looking for you._ ”

Pulling her phone from her pocket, Renee unlocked the home screen and found a missed call from Elliot. Three of them, to be exact. She assumed her friends had already grown bored without her and had left the building; which was unusual for them. She felt a knot in her throat. What if she never saw Natalie again? What if this was a one night fling? Then she remembered the number on her palm. “Nat,” She spoke, keeping the girl close to her so she could speak into her ear. Now would be the worst time to be drowned out by the guitars and the drums; although the tunes were a lot calmer now. “I’m sorry, but I gotta go. My friends are waiting for me outside.” Her heart swelled when she saw Natalie clutch her hand. Was she just as worried as she was? “Don’t worry,” She continued, meeting the girl’s bright blue eyes. “I won’t forget.” She smiled, cupping Natalie’s cheek and gifting her lips with a small kiss; she made sure the pink haired girl heard her reassuring tone. Renee slowly removed herself from Natalie’s hold and turned her head for a moment to flash a loving smile before pushing her way out of the pit once again. Renee’s heart almost gave out when her smile was returned. Natalie was too cute.

Renee would make sure to call her as soon as she got home. She couldn’t stand being alone after experiencing all of that.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> wraith and wattson hang out at wraith's apartment and things get a bit angsty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part 2 where wraith and wattson meet up for the first time after the concert uwu there will be a part 3 whenever i get the motivation to write up their date but its gonna be cute af i promise

“Stop screaming!”

“Ain’t nobody around to hear you.”

The mysterious figure pushed Renee’s head forward to expose her neck. It towered over her, pressing a needle against her skin. “A little fluid...problem solves itself.” It sneered, pushing it’s thin framed glasses back up the bridge of its nose before pressing the metal into her ghostly pale flesh. A whine of agony built up in Renee’s throat; the insertion site was sore and aching, and as the pain became unbearable, Renee’s ghostly eyes snapped open.

Another bad dream.

It left her breathless. Paralysed to the core. She could feel her clothes cling to her in her cold sweat. Her body remained frozen, as her heart raced. Nightmares were a nightly occurrence to her, but they were never about the same thing every night. The voices hadn’t woken up yet; they were silent beneath the sound of Renee’s paced breathing. ‘They can’t hurt you anymore,’ She reassured herself. ‘It’s over.’ The night terror felt real; the pain she felt still lingered in her neck. Tenderly running her fingers across her neck, she confirmed what she already knew. It was just a dream, nothing was there. For a moment, her body refused to respond to her desires to sit up. She found her gaze dropping in her half-awake state, spotting a faded ink smudge beside her. Then, her voices gently reached out.

_Call her,_ they whispered. _You miss her._

Renee let a small sigh leave her lips. They were right, as always. Her loneliness was rampant; Natalie’s company could hardly compare to her friends. She felt safe with the devil horned girl. She was the only thing on the skirmisher’s mind. Her fushia pink hair, the pink horns that pointed upward, the purple lipstick. Renee’s cheeks burned a bright red just thinking about it. The woman’s presence in her life was almost too good to be true; like she was a goddess amongst men. She blinked, jumping at the voices rudely butting into her thoughts.

_Your palm._

She lifted her hand, flipping it over and bringing the slightly smudged string of numbers into her view. Her milky hues took in every number, every word. For once, she agreed with the voices. Natalie’s company was a drug to Renee; and she was itching for a fix. Reaching over to her phone, she punched in the number and paused. Her thumb lingered over the final key, weighing her odds, swallowing as the anxiety churned her stomach. Or butterflies? She wasn’t sure. Letting out a shaky breath and bringing her legs to her chest, she pressed the call key. It rang. The skirmisher couldn’t help but begin to nervously bounce her knees unconsciously to brace herself. She longed to hear Natalie’s voice again.

“ _Oui,_ Natalie Paquette speaking!” The familiar voice sang cheerfully with a bright smile. Renee sucked in a breath and swallowed.

“Hey, Nat,” Renee responded, her hand fidgeting with the loose fabric from her scarf.

_She won’t remember you._

“Oh! Renee!” Natalie beamed. “Good morning! It is good to hear your voice again, _mon ami!_ ” She sat upright and sat her hand on her knees, grinning to herself. Renee had gotten home late the night before; this much was clear in her voice.

Natalie, it seemed, was an early bird. “Did you get enough rest? You sound tired…”

Renee couldn’t help but let a genuine but gentle smile adorn her face. Natalie’s caring nature was more than attractive. “Sure, I slept enough,” She chuckled, looking down at her scarf as she continued to play with the strands of black fabric. “Or as much as I can.”

A giggle came from the other end. “Hmm, I suspected as much, _mon ami_ ,” Natalie playfully scolded her. “You need to work up a better sleep schedule. I worry about you.”

The skirmisher rolled her eyes and moved her hand to sit on her cheek. “I’m _always_ tired, Nat,” She let a smug grin tug at her lips. “But I appreciate you worrying about me.”

“Someone has to, _ange_!” She chuckled. “Now, do I have to come over and help you sort your life out?”

“I wouldn’t be opposed to it.”

“Then I shall be there soon!” Natalie chirped, twirling her bright pink bangs in her fingers. “Adieu, _mon ami!_ ”

Hanging up, the skirmisher let out a breath she felt like she had been holding the entire call. It hadn’t dawned on her yet that Natalie was on her way to her apartment.

_She’ll be here soon,_ the voices said. 

_Get dressed._

_Unless you want her to see you in a tank top._

“Fine, fine, I’m going,” Renee sighed, standing up and pulling open her wardrobe. Before her was an array of black; with a splash of white and a few grey intermixed. Her style was goth; just the way she liked it. She stood indecisive for a while; settling with a black turtleneck and white skinny jeans, paired with some black vans boots. Nothing too chaotic. Hopefully it looked okay, she wouldn’t know until Natalie arrived. Fortunately for her, it wasn’t long now.

As she left her bedroom, the doorbell rang. Renee froze, her heart pounding in her chest. “Oh, shit,” She murmured, feeling around her neck and not finding her scarf. She felt beyond naked without it. “Oh, _shit.”_ Then her mind clicked and she remembered. Bedroom. “Just a minute!” She called, rushing back to her room to grab it, wrapping it around her neck. She felt better already. Clearing her throat, Renee made her way back to the door, pulling it open. She slowly saw her favourite familiar pink bangs bounce into view, causing a growing smile to rip across her lips. 

“Renee!” Natalie grinned, stepping forward; arms open for a hug. It wasn’t something Renee would normally accept, physical affection wasn’t her thing. For Natalie though, she would make an exception. Stepping forward, she let the defender embrace her, taking in her familiar scent. She let out a light chuckle as she felt the hug turn playfully tight, loosening shortly afterwards. The embrace was loving and like a fortress; it made Renee feel safe.

“It’s good to see you too, Nat,” Renee chuckled, brushing stray strands of her raven black hair behind her ear, peering up to meet her brilliant blue eyes. They seemed brighter than she remembered; as if the defender felt endless amounts of happiness in her presence. It was cute to witness.

Hearing Renee be so genuine and welcoming widened Natalie’s grin. “Of course it’s good to see you, _mon ami!_ ” She giggled, slipping past the skirmisher and into the apartment. She was taken back for a moment; the place was brighter than one would have assumed. The walls were painted magnolia with framed scenic landscapes hanging from them; adorning the walls from the hallway to her private quarters, from her office to the living room. The skirmisher hardly came off as one to love photography, but perhaps that was one of her many secrets.

“ _Mon dieu!”_ She whispered, a surprised smile grew upon her lips. Her hands framed her face in pure joy. “You do surprise me, _ange._ ” She said playfully, stepping closer to the nearest photograph to observe it. Renee shut the door before joining her.

“It’s not much, but it’s something to call home,” Renee chuckled, leading Natalie to the kitchen where she began to brew coffee for the both of them.

“You are modest, Renee,” Natalie smiled. “Where I live, the floor is a sea of quantum physics. You have to swim through my notes!”

“Oh yeah?” Renee’s eyes seemed to sparkle with curiosity as she looked up from the countertop. “What do you do for a living?”

“Electrical engineering!” Natalie responded, her smile growing. “My papa taught me everything I know. He was an excellent teacher.” There was a hint of sorrow in her normally quite excitable tone; something that very easily ripped and tore at Renee’s heart. She couldn’t relate to the loss of a parent. It was against her better judgement to ask further questions, but her curiosity ate her alive.

“Never would have guessed science was something you’re into,” Renee chuckled, reaching for the glass pot from her coffee maker, then remembered she hadn’t asked her guest how she liked her drinks; a common, yet rude mistake. ‘Moron,’ she mentally scolded herself. Before Natalie could respond, Renee turned and spoke first with a regretful scowl on her face. “Sorry, I forgot to ask,” She averted her eyes out of embarrassment. “Do you drink coffee? How do you have it?” Natalie didn’t rely on the stimulant from caffeine to wake herself up in the morning but rather used it to keep her awake at night. She found it relatively easy to wake up compared to pulling herself away from her work to sleep.

For a moment, she caught Renee sneaking in a glance at her toned thighs, which forced a gentle smile across Natalie’s lips. A warm blush shortly followed against her soft cheeks; it wasn’t apparent immediately, but she did exercise. She needed the upper body strength to carry her pylon; and a strong immune system to give her the energy to work through the night on her complex diagrams and adjust the ring in the arena.

Nonetheless, she couldn’t help but feel flattered that Renee cared enough to ask how she preferred her coffee. Her smile spread to a grateful grin. 

“Black with one sugar, _s’il te plaît.”_ Natalie replied, her smile never falling from her lips. Seeing her almost constantly happy tested Renee’s will; her voices weren’t helping, overlapping each other encouraging the flustered skirmisher to pull her weight and make a move. ‘Quiet.’ She growled, with little to no avail. Taking a breath, she remembered Natalie’s reply and turned back to resume making coffee. She wasn’t fluent in french, but knew enough to understand Natalie’s small nicknames and phrases. The voices hardly ceased; even with her back turned Renee was noticeably irritated. Taking quiet breaths to calm herself, she poured the defender’s coffee and brandished a gentle smile as she handed the mug to her; earning a polite thank you and a bright smile in return.

Natalie took the mug in both palms and breathed in the steam, closing her eyes and enjoying the smell. She sighed softly in pure bliss. “Science has been my passion since I was a child, I was very smart. A lot smarter than my teachers predicted me to be,” She said, lifting her chin slightly and flaunting a smug grin. “I scored so high on my tests, I left the school and Papa took me under his wing and taught me about the ring and the Apex games. I continue his legacy there.” She brought the mug to her lips and took a swift sip, her cerulean eyes opening slowly. The coffee tasted better than anything she had ever made herself. Renee was a woman with many secrets; her mysteriousness tempted Natalie, but that just piled on to her attraction to the skirmisher. Opposites really did attract.

“He must have been a good man,” Renee said. She hoped that Natalie wouldn’t dwell on her father’s memory for too long, sensing how much she still missed him was painful for her. She understood that much at least. “He sounds like one.”

Hearing this lifted Natalie’s spirits as she smiled softly. She could tell Renee had never really felt the loss of someone close to her; all the death she witnessed in the games was part of the experience, it came with the job. She never developed a true connection to anyone to really worry about them if they were hurt, only seeking to help them if it benefitted her. It meant a lot to her that Renee was there for her at least. “He was. If not for him, I would most likely still be jobless,” Natalie jested, giggling to herself. “But I also wouldn’t have gotten to watch all the legends participate every week. Seeing everyone’s different strategies, it was fascinating to me.” Reminiscing these thoughts only widened her smile. “So, what about you?” She queried, raising an eyebrow at Renee. Her brain thirsted for knowledge; the itch of her curiosity was becoming unbearable. The skirmisher’s existence bled mystery and it pulled her in. She needed to know more about her.

Renee gulped as their eyes locked. She feared this moment. Natalie’s intentions weren’t malicious, neither was her innocent yet curious glance over her porcelain mug; yet Renee’s eyes were open doors to her soul. She could almost feel Natalie’s and their growing hunger for answers. “It probably sounds stupid,” She began, swallowing her dread. “But I don’t remember much. It’s complicated.” She reached behind her and collected her own mug, bringing it to her cold, pale lips and drinking from it, relieving her throat. Natalie seemed to know how to gain entry to every weak spot in her brain with as little as a glance; just feeling her watching her made Renee’s throat dry as she struggled to keep her words coherent. The last thing she wanted to do was worry her again. Her stories from her IMC escape only told of her weakness; she wasn’t ready to admit that to Natalie yet.

“We have all morning, _mon ami,_ ” Natalie’s gaze insisted on remaining on Renee, taking in the superhuman nature of her irises. Her eyes spoke volumes; she didn’t need to reveal her smile behind the rim of the mug to tell she was enjoying this. “Do you remember anything at all? Parents? Siblings?” Both suggestions only surfaced a slow shake of Renee’s head. “You don’t remember anything?” The defender had to make sure. Renee responded with the same action. Observing codename Wraith in the ring had it’s perks; her deadly tactics and extreme precision earned her a quick reputation, and Natalie could see why. She had nothing to lose. It was easy for her to risk life and limb to win.

Natalie fell deep into thought and fell silent.

“Nat?”

Natalie was brought back to reality. “Ah, _pardon_ ,” She apologised, looking at the floor for a moment in embarrassment. She brought her head up and met Renee’s concerned gaze again. “Perhaps I can help you research your past? Find your parents?” She suggested, planting down her mug on the table next to her and approaching Renee fast and determined. “You can’t be the only Blasey left.”

Renee was stunned, taken back by her sudden movements. Her heart stopped as Natalie took her small hands with confidence. “I’m not sure how, I do not have a set plan yet…” Natalie murmured. “We could go to the police?”

“Nat...”

“Or perhaps email the local paper?” Natalie’s brain surfaced plenty of scenarios; she had never promised anyone to find their missing family but her feelings for Renee were strong. If she could help regain some of her memories, it would make her equally happy.

“Nat.”

The defender caught on to Renee calling her name and paused.

“Please, stop,” The skirmisher sighed, slowly releasing her hands from Natalie’s. “I don’t want to look for them. I’m not even sure they’re still alive, let alone if they even want to know or care that I am.” Her eyes fell from Natalie’s against her will. “I don’t want your help.” Her hands already began to long for Natalie’s; they were larger than hers and held so much warmth. They balled up at her sides, full of frustration, wanting to hide in the darkest corner of her apartment and never come out.

_You’re hurting her,_ the voices piped up at the wrong time. _Stop talking._

“Give me a minute.” Renee choked. There was a knot in her throat; the last thing she wanted to do was upset Natalie. She was deathly afraid to meet the defender’s face. She didn’t want to be met with the mess she had made. She had a heart of stone more often than not; she never cried, never smiled. Never felt happy. She never let anyone in to see her vulnerable; to her, it was weakness. Despite not having one, being reminded about family always teared her up.

It always broke her somehow.

Renee was quick to retreat down the corridor into her room, refusing to look back. She pushed herself against her door, shutting it, letting herself slide down the wooden frame and sit on the ground. Defeated. She pulled her legs up to her chest, hugging them tightly to herself as she felt her eyes well up. She preferred to cry alone; it allowed her to reflect. To recognise her mistakes. After the most frustrating losses in the arena, she would surface her anger and bottle up her frustration until she was safely locked in her dorm. Some nights she’d spend hours curled up in her bed wiping away hot tears. She had become so used to being alone; why was she crying about family now?

She sat entirely inert. The only sound was from her; shaky breaths tore through her nose as she tried to contain her sorrowful whines. The tears welling up in her eyes wasted no time in flowing down her delicate cheeks.

_Imagine if Natalie saw you like this._

_Get up._

_She’s coming._

“Renee?” Natalie called, sitting her palm on the door. She could feel the pressure being applied from the other side; Renee clearly didn’t want to be disturbed. Or she was afraid of being seen. “Is everything okay? Did I say something wrong?” 

Hearing her at the door perked Renee’s head back as she regained her senses. Her face was a mess; her pale cheeks were pink and puffy, her eyes looked like foggy glass. She sniffled, quickly wiping her face. She wasn’t ready to show Natalie how sensitive she could be. “N-No!” She hadn’t given her throat time to recover from her excessive crying; her voice croaked like a frog. She sucked in a breath sheepishly, taking this opportunity to clear her throat before speaking again. “I’m...sorry it came off like that…” She pushed herself up from the floor.

_Don’t let her see your face._

_You’ve already hurt her once._

Renee took her scarf hastily into her fingers and pulled it up over her nose, turning and opening the door. Watching her favourite pink bangs and black clothes appear into her view gave her comfort, causing her to smile under the fabric. Natalie didn’t look like she’d been crying, but instead assumed she had been pacing the kitchen room full of worry. She could see in her eyes that Natalie was hurting; she did that to her. It strained her heart strings.

“You don’t have to wall yourself off from me, _ange_ ,” Natalie cooed gently, reaching forward her fidgeting hands to cup Renee’s hot, wet cheeks. “You can trust me, I promise. I know it’s hard to believe coming from someone you just met yesterday, but I mean it.” She smiled softly to reassure her, brushing her thumb across the fragile skin. It broke her heart to see Renee in such a state, but the least she could do was comfort her. Even if this was her fault.

It was a surprise but also a relief when Renee settled her calloused palms on Natalie’s forearms. She didn’t plan on removing her warm, loving touch from her face; she wanted to hold her there. There was fearful tension in the skirmisher; she was still afraid to meet her eyes. She couldn’t handle meeting the sad look.

Renee didn’t speak. Her thoughts were consumed by her voices. Tormenting her for her mistake.

_You did this to her._

_She hates you._

_You won’t meet anyone like her again._

“Stop,” Tears returned to her eyes. “I’m sorry…”

Natalie didn’t have it in her to keep asking questions; her attention was brought back to the older woman’s face. It grew hotter. Her palms remained as tears poured down Renee’s porcelain cheeks to meet with her fingers. “Oh, _ange_ …” She breathed, frowning sorrowfully. Pulling her in for a gentle hug, Natalie began to caress her forearms. Comforting her. She couldn’t bear to see her like this. Quiet, muffled sniffling could be heard from between the young woman’s arms. If she thought her heart hurt before; she was terribly mistaken.

She found herself looking around the room as she continued to comfort Renee; her eyes landing on a small shelf opposite the messy, unmade bed. On it sat a multitude of leatherback journals, some in perfect condition, others singed at the corners. This made Natalie curious again, yet she was still aware of Renee in her arms. She peered down at her jet black hair and her messy bun. “Forgive me if this is not the time to ask,” She spoke gently, hoping to coax the older woman out of her shell even for a moment. “What are those books up there? I couldn’t help but look.”

Renee brought her head up, refusing to leave Natalie’s embrace as she followed the younger woman’s glance. “Oh,” Those old things. “Those are my journals. I’d...write things after the games.”

“So like diaries?”

“Kind of, yeah.”

Fortunately for Natalie, they weren’t just Renee’s diary entries. The bigger hardback books were from before the games; a past she had long tried to bury.

Renee didn’t stop Natalie from standing and approaching the shelf; her body language screamed curiosity.

“Is it okay if I read them?”

She gave a light nod. What harm could it do?

Natalie’s eyes lit up and an excited grin adorned her face. She turned and collected a few from the shelf, bringing them back and sitting with Renee on the floor. She began to flick through the pages. Some journals were better put together than others; some contained loose diagrams of Renee’s bracer and maps of locations scattered around World’s Edge.

She hummed curiously. She already had many questions on her mind.

Pulling the first hardback journal into her lap, she came across Renee’s ramblings and scribbles from her first time exploring the void. It was unstable, cold and empty. There was an old ID card taped to the page; the photo of a much younger looking Renee, her stunning black hair flowed over her shoulders and her eyes glowed a light blue. A pair of glasses sat on the bridge of her nose. She was beautiful. The tag was labeled Dr Blasey, with a barcode underneath. There was an IMC logo printed in the corner of the card.

Natalie couldn’t control her curiosity any longer. “You were a scientist?” She questioned. Her eyes were glued to the pages; she found it hard to pull them away to meet eyes with the Blasey girl.

Renee didn’t see much point in pretending she wasn’t; she had hidden her past from everyone close to her, but she trusted Natalie. She found herself returning to the loose fibres of her scarf and resumed fidgeting with them.

“Yeah,” She peered down at the journal in the Paquette’s lap, her heart wrenching. She had put together a lot of research, even while she fought in the arena, hoping that one day she might be able to uncover what was left of the IMC. She was caught off guard temporarily when her eyes dogged over and met with Natalie’s, her hands halting their actions. Renee could see the girl’s face was almost begging her to continue; and she succumbed to it. “I, uh, studied the void. I wasn’t born with these powers, but I’m sure you’ve figured that out by now.”

A nod came from Natalie. “ _Oui,_ your abilities are most fascinating, _mon ami!”_ A bright grin formed across her plump lips, humming gently as she continued to take in the notes. “Your notes speak of a Voidwalker, might I say you have _sparked_ my curiosity!” An adorable giggle left her, forcing a gentle blush to break out in Renee’s cheeks.

How was she allowed to be this cute?

The answer to Natalie’s question always worried the Blasey girl; it worried her that she would be deemed insane, if she hadn’t already been. It sent a chill down her spine. The last place she would want to go was back _there_. Although, it would be one way to go back and find out the truth, if she wasn’t a wanted fugitive. She breathed out a soft sigh.

“I didn’t get her name. But, you can see the pictures,” Renee said, leaning closer to Natalie and pointing to some drawings. “I called her Voidwalker. It seemed fitting. She was dangerous, yet I knew she wasn’t there to hurt me.” Her fingers pulled themselves from the paper. “She helped me escape.”

Natalie nodded at this; she seemed like she wasn’t listening, though she found it hard not to. Everything she was hearing and seeing intrigued her. “She was you?” Her flicking of the pages paused as she examined a sketch in front of her.

“Yeah. A future me, actually.”

“ _Mon dieu…_ ” The Paquette muttered. This was new to her. Renee’s experiments and research seemed to confirm that there were other dimensions, multiple possibilities to every outcome. Now she understood the Blasey girl’s thought process. She wasn’t afraid to lose her life in the games since, in another life, she would have triumphed. Natalie was amazed at Renee’s dedication. “This explains why you’re so reckless,” She said, shaking her head slowly. “As impressed as I am, _ange_ , you need to be careful.” She scolded. Of course, she was only being half serious; Natalie knew her favourite skirmisher could handle herself even in the most life-threatening situations. She had watched Renee participate with her own eyes.

_She’s worried._

“Let’s just say a little birdie told me you were going to say that,” Renee smiled sheepishly, letting a gentle chuckle leave her lips. “Well, now you know.” 

Natalie had gone through multiple journals while listening to her stories; she became confident that the Paquette had learned all she needed to know about what she kept hidden. Her brain was famished for knowledge, and now, it was satisfied. 

“So, you’re not mad at me?” The Blasey girl asked. She flinched a little when Natalie raised her arm and sat her warm hand against her porcelain cheek, caressing her fragile skin. “For keeping it a secret?”

“ _Non, ma ange_ ,” Natalie reassured, smiling. “Even if I was, it is impossible to stay angry at you.”

Renee sat her palm on top of the Paquette’s, meeting her beautiful eyes. She felt as if the world had been lifted from her shoulders; the girl she loved had accepted the reality that she lived in.

“Stay with me tonight? I can tell you more stories if you still have questions.”


End file.
